Well-known Scottish hotelier Ken McCulloch - the man behind Aberdeen's iconic Malmaison - has passed away at the age of 76.
Best known as the founder of the Malmaison and Dakota hotel chains, Mr McCulloch began his career as a commis chef before working his way up.
He went on to create the Malmaison Hotel Group, with his first site in Edinburgh in 1994.
After a spell in Monaco where, partnering with F1 icon David Coulthard, he bought the Abela Hotel and turned it into the Columbus Hotel, as well as founding Dakota Hotels, Mr McCulloch returned to Scotland in 2009.
The BBC reports that, paying tribute to the industry giant, Harry Murray, president of the Hospitality Professionals Association, said: "Ken was one of the most successful creative and consummate hoteliers of the past 35 years.
"He created hotels and brands with total focus on guests, his attention to detail was inspiring."